Supporting role

The role of the distributor in the pro audio industry is about much more than just shifting boxes. While a simplistic view would have the distributor supplying equipment to an integrator for installation, in reality it is a much larger job than this. ‘The role of the distributor isn’t just about selling our products but the Technology too. We are here to offer full support, not just from A to G, but from A to Z,’ says Glen Kershaw, sales manager at Dubai-based distribution company GSL Professional. ‘It is very important to GSL to show full support throughout the entire sales procedure and more importantly after sales. That is something that integrators are looking for and lacks in the Middle East.’

Mr Kershaw believes that offering support is one of the key factors for attracting integrators and consultants and it helps to generate repeat business. ‘The challenging part is making sure the customer is happy after they’ve bought the goods so that we can assure ourselves that they are going to come back in the future once they need an upgrade,’ he explains. ‘We concentrate on older buildings just as much as the new buildings because they’re going to need an upgrade eventually, and once the major building projects finish in Dubai, whenever that may be, that’s where we are going to be getting our business from. If we give poor after sales support, they are not going to be interested.’

He sees the level of support a customer gets as a differentiator for winning new business. ‘Sometimes it can be a bonus for us when they have had poor support and it hasn’t been from us. That’s a great time for us to then go in,’ Mr Kershaw explains. ‘It’s using after sales support to build business for the future. After sales support is something that I believe everybody, especially in the UAE, is asking for as a top priority. They need to be assured that once the goods go in, if it goes down it can be changed instantly as opposed to having to wait. Fortunately, GSL carries a huge inventory in the Dubai area making it convenient for our customers who need a product and fast.’

To highlight this point, he cites the challenge of repairing a faulty component without local representation. ‘If a unit goes down we want to have a quick turnaround time of 24 to 36 hours maximum. If there is no local support the customer has to send the unit away or ask for spare parts and then you’re talking five to seven says minimum before they get the parts,’ he says. ‘That’s the last thing that a hotel needs. If an amp goes down and the hotel hasn’t taken on precautions such as buying extras just in case something like this happens or it doesn’t have the technical training or a technical engineer on site, then it can’t afford to lose five days worth of BGM.’

While after sales support is clearly important, getting purchase orders through from integrators is a key part of the distributors role. ‘We can offer support by producing Acoustics Model and Audio Networking designs for our customers who is very important in this market’ says Mr Kershaw. ‘In some cases we go direct to the manufacturers for extra support in regards to larger projects.’

Mr Kershaw also sees technical training as another important aspect of the distributor’s role, particularly when it comes to technologically advanced products, and he stresses that training should be provided to all sectors of the market. ‘As BSS tends to be fairly complex and System Architect is upgrading all the time we regularly hold training courses for systems integrators and the rental market. At the end of the day, it’s not always permanent installations that require audio networking or BSS audio, it is also the rental market that deal with processing, so they need to be up to scratch too.’

While offering support and training are clearly key aspects to generating business, it is hard to overlook the importance of the brands a distributor represents. ‘People tend to come into our showroom or call us with the brands already in mind. It’s still a challenge for us of course, but if the initial thought is in their head, it makes our job slightly easier.’

It is with this aspect where Mr Kershaw believes manufacturers can play an important role through developing equipment that will keep the brand at the forefront of customers’ mind. ‘We are constantly asking for our manufacturers to improve their technology. I know that they are very serious and work very hard at what they do and they are constantly keeping an eye on the market to see what is coming out and how they can do something that could be better.’

One of the key tools for the distributor in generating business is having an exclusive relationship with manufacturers. ‘Thankfully, because of exclusivity we’ve won huge projects. Burj Khalifa for example, the entire tower is on the BSS backbone, and for the Ferrari World Theme Park, Crown amplification and JBL speakers have gone into that. I’m sure that there will be many other big projects that come up in the future which will have our brands go in. If it wasn’t for us being an exclusive distributor, not only would we miss out on projects but we would also lose out on business.’

Of course it is a two-way relationship and distributors need to provide a benefit for the manufacturer also. For Mr Kershaw, GSL achieves this through the volume of business it generates. ‘We’re hard workers. At the end of the day, GSL wouldn’t have won Crown Distributor of the Year if it wasn’t for just how hard we truly do work and push the Harman brand out there in the market. So I feel confident in saying Harman are currently pleased with having us as the exclusive distributor in this region.’

There are, however, a number of challenges that distribution companies are currently facing. The evolving nature of the market in the Middle East means that distributors need to adapt to continue being successful. One aspect where this can be seen is with manufacturers establishing local sales offices. While Mr Kershaw concedes that this can be challenging, he is also keen to point out the distributor still has a role to play. ‘If they are getting business from their local office and they believe it is the right step to take then we will still support them and we’re behind them 100 per cent,’ he says. ‘However, if a consultant is looking for a large A/V package they will come to us to get a better deal on a number of brands rather than go to the manufacturer of one part of the system.’

The challenges facing distributors are also evident in the changing way that business is being done. ‘A lot of customers are a lot more price conscious now. It used to be more about relationships and price perhaps didn’t come up as much. Even if there was a cheaper brand out on the market, if you had a good relationship with that customer they would still go with you,’ he reflects. ‘Now it’s more about the pricing, of course the relationship is still just as important, but it is definitely more about the pricing. Distributors are now having to bend back a bit more to get a foot into projects, but it is something I believe all distributors are doing and certainly so are the manufacturers. Everybody has to compromise a little bit towards certain prices and structures.’

Through the support, training and local presence a distributor brings to manufacturers it is clear to see why they still have such an important role to play in the market. The challenge for these companies is to maintain this role and continue to prove their worth to customers and manufacturers alike.

www.gslprofessional.com